The surprises just keep on coming for Arsène Wenger. The glow from last weekend's startling recovery from 2-0 down to thrash Tottenham Hotspur had not worn off as the Arsenal boss had the manager of the month award thrust at him.

Wenger broke into an embarrassed smile. "It was a complete shock to me. I couldn't understand that at all. If you had read the newspapers in the last two weeks, you must say there is a mistake," he explained, struggling not to laugh. "I thought they were speaking to somebody else behind me."

With Arsenal's cup catastrophes dominating last month, and cranking the pressure on Wenger up to dangerous levels, it almost went unnoticed that the team produced impressively in the Premier League. In addition to the handsome derby win, they beat Blackburn Rovers 7-1 and produced a determined comeback to triumph in the last minute at Sunderland. The old adage about concentrating on the league might not have been Wenger's ideal scenario, but with the chase for fourth place intensifying this weekend at Anfield, Arsenal can at least take encouragement from a sequence of league wins. Heis conscious that a victory at Anfield will virtually put Liverpool out of the equation for a top four finish, another incentive as he looks for his team to keep hold of their position at the head of the challengers for the last Champions League spot.

Usually at this time of year Wenger prioritises European matches and domestic form suffers as he rests his most important players. Not this time. A mission impossible against Milan can wait as it is all fit hands to the pump in Liverpool. "For us it's important to confirm the game we played against Tottenham at Liverpool," Wenger says. "Then we can focus completely on the Champions League and have a real go, because what we did in Milan was just not what we do usually in the Champions League and I'm sure we'll see a different Arsenal on Tuesday. We know after that we have the massive score against us, but if we get a good result at Liverpool I think we have a chance."

Thomas Vermaelen, despite controversially playing while injured for Belgium in midweek, and Robin van Persie are expected to make the squad. Wenger was scathing about the Belgian FA's decision to field Vermaelen in Greece. "It looks like Belgium have made a decision which I still do not understand and will look to see if we can put a complaint in, because firstly they forced the player to travel, then they forced him to play 90 minutes after being injured when they had a centre-back on the bench who did not play at all, in a friendly game knowing they do not even go to the European Championships."

Alex Song is a concern having arrived back late from Cameroon. But on the upside, the Arsenal manager was thrilled that Abou Diaby, who has not started in this campaign, is fit again. He did, though, admit that another setback will end Diaby's season. Despite his alarming injury record, Wenger retains faith: "I will never give up on a player as long as he has the desire. If I felt that in Diaby's head that he had given up, then I would have. But he was always very focused. He's an exceptional guy, Diaby. Such focus to do well is unbelievable."